The invention relates to a method (70) for cleaning an aqueous composition, referred to as the conveying composition (61), for conveying floating objects belonging to the group of
fruits and vegetables, in a hydraulic conveyor of such floating objects, the hydraulic conveyor being of a type; —with the recirculation of the conveying composition (61), and; —with treatment of the conveying composition (61) by addition of
chlorine dioxide (65) kept in the conveying composition (61) during the conveying of such floating objects for the purposes of controlling the microbiological
flora growing in the conveying composition (61), whereby a conveying composition, referred to as a
chlorate-rich composition (66), comprising the
chlorate anion of general formula (CO3) in a hydrated form in the
chlorate-rich composition (66), is formed due to this treatment; method in which, the hydraulic conveyor being devoid of floating objects and the addition of
chlorine dioxide (65) in the chlorate-rich composition (66) being suspended; a flow rate of a composition, referred to as the composition (42) to be cleaned, formed by mixing a flow of the
chlorite-rich composition (66) and at least one flow of a composition, referred to as the photoreactive composition (40), comprising at least one photo-sensitive compound chosen from the group formed of
sulfite anion salts,
bisulfite anion salts,
disulfite anion salts and salts of a hydrosulfite anion is irradiated (75) by an
electromagnetic radiation comprising at least one electromagnetic wave in the UV-C range, so as to form, in this composition (42) to be cleaned, at least one compound, referred to as the
active compound (77), capable of reacting chemically with chlorate anion F and forming a conveying composition, referred to as the cleaned composition (67), with a concentration of chlorate anion less than the concentration of chlorate anion in the chlorate-rich composition (66). The invention also relates to a hydraulic conveyor equipped with a cleaning device for implementing such a method.